David knows what it is like to be thirsty. As he writes the words of our text today he finds himself in the desert, where he parallels the thirst he has for God to one who is parched in the desert. "I search for you...I thirst for you," he cries out, "like someone in a dry and empty land where there is no water." It's a pretty stark picture, particularly if left there. Yet David has hope beyond himself, beyond his circumstances...beyond his surroundings.
Lent can be a desert experience at times. The work of introspection, confession, and repentance is hard work. We grow weary, tired, and thirsty. But God has not abandoned us. In the desert, David affirms his faith and the presence of God at work in his life. "You are my help," he writes. "I stay close to you...You support me with your right hand." With the cross before us we sometimes grow weary of sacrifice. Like the child who wants to skip to the end of the book to see how the story concludes, we want to move beyond the cross to the empty tomb. But there is work to be done here along this Lenten road.
David gives us some powerful words for the journey..."Because your love is better than life, I will praise you. I remember you while I am lying on my bed. I think about you through the night. Because of your protection I will sing." God is with us on this journey, friends. Drink in the wonders of God's love.
Jim Abernathy
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